DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE  AND  LABOR 
BUREAU  OF  MANUFACTURES 

JOHN  M.  CARSON,  Chief 


CONSULAR  REPORTS-ANNUAL  SERIES 
No.  3 


PANAMA 

TRADE  FOR  THE  YEAR  1907 


JUNE,  1908 


lUTED 


REPRINTED/ 


"©{RECTOR 
WASHINGTON,  D. 


j THE  INTERN 
AMERIC 
JOHN  BARRE 

No.  2 JACKSON  PLACE 


4TES 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1908 


DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE  AND  LABOR 
BUREAU  OF  MANUFACTURES 

JOHN  M.  CARSON,  Chief 


CONSULAR  REPORTS — ANNUAL  SERIES 
No.  3 


PANAMA 

TRADE  FOR  THE  YEAR  1907 


JUNE,  1908 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1908 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/consularreportsOOunit 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Letter  of  submittal - 5 

Review  of  trade  conditions: 

Panama  City — 

Cable  service  and  transportation  facilities 7 

Sanitary  conditions — "Wild  and  cultivated  products — Mining 8 

Import  duties  and  currency — Lands  opened  to  the  public 9 

Commerce  of  the  Republic 10 

Classification  of  exports  to  the  United  States 10 

Colon — 

Exports  to  the  United  States 11 

Steamship  service  discontinued — Coal  receipts 11 

Increased  freight  traffic— Navigation  statistics 12 

Municipal  and  other  improvements 13 

Local  business  depression — Advice  to  American  salesmen 13 

Bocas  del  Toro  agency — 

Exports  to  the  United  States 14 

Purchases  from  the  United  States  and  Europe 14 

Local  improvements — Railway  building 15 

New  liber  discovery — Marine  statistics. 15 


3 


LETTER  OF  SUBMITTAL. 


Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Bureau  of  Manufactures, 

Washington,  June  1,  1908. 

Sir:  I have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  a review  of  the  trade 
conditions  in  the  Republic  of  Panama,  as  transmitted  by  the  con- 
sular officers  at  Panama,  Colon,  and  Bocas  del  Toro.  With  a miscel- 
laneous population  of  about  300,000  the  Republic  is  rapidly  develop- 
ing, as  shown  by  these  reports.  Panama  City,  within  one  year,  has 
improved  greatly  and  now  has  water,  sewerage,  and  many  new 
buildings,  and  the  same  is  true  to  a considerable  extent  of  Colon. 
The  health  conditions  are  reported  to  be  very  greatly  improved.  As 
to  the  import  trade  of  the  Republic,  the  United  States  should  supply 
a larger  percentage  of  it,  and  probably  will  do  so  in  the  near  future. 
Suggestions  as  to  what  should  be  done  in  that  direction  will  be  found 
in  the  reports  herewith  given. 

Respectfully,  John  M.  Carson, 

Chief  oj  Bureau. 

To  Hon.  Oscar  S.  Straus, 

Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 


5 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OE  PANAMA. 


REVIEW  OF  TRADE  CONDITIONS. 

By  Consul-General  Arnold  Shanklin,  Panama  City. 

The  Republic  of  Panama  lies  between  7°  15'  and  9°  north  latitude, 
and  77°  and  82°  west  longitude,  from  Greenwich;  has  an  area  of 
about  31,500  square  miles  and  a population  of  about  300,000,  com- 
posed of  Panamanians,  Indians,  Americans,  French,  English,  Ger- 
mans, Italians,  and  Chinese.  The  length  of  the  Republic  is  about 
400  miles;  at  its  widest  point  it  is  160  miles,  but  only  35  to  40  miles 
at  its  narrowest  point. 

Dr.  Manuel  Amador  Guerrero,  the  first  President  of  the  Republic  of 
Panama,  is  still  in  office.  The  other  officials  include  three  designates 
or  vice-presidents,  and  secretaries  of  Government  and  Justice,  Foreign 
Relations,  Finance,  Fomento,  and  Education.  The  laws  are  made 
by  a single  body  of  delegates  elected  from  the  seven  provinces  of 
Panama,  Colon,  Bocas  del  Toro,  Chiriqui,  Los  Santos,  Veraguas,  and 
Code.  Each  province  has  a governor  and  other  officials,  and  each 
city,  town,  or  pueblo  lias  its  alcalde  or  mayor,  and  the  usual  officials. 
The  largest  cities  and  towns,  with  estimated  population,  are:  Panama, 
the  capital,  35,000;  Colon,  15,000;  David,  8,000;  Bocas  del  Toro, 
3,000;  Santiago  de  Veraguas,  1,200. 

Improvements  in  the  capital  city  since  November,  1905,  have 
included  street  pavements,  waterworks,  and  a sewerage  system. 
The  present  is  in  marked  contrast  with  the  old  city  of  two  and  one- 
half  years  ago.  The  great  amount  of  building  in  progress  is  one 
proof  of  its  advancement.  Rents  are  ATery  high  and  houses  scarce. 
Heretofore  the  two-story  house  was  the  rule,  but  now  all  good  build- 
ings have  three  stories  and  some  of  them  four.  Arrangements  are 
being  made  to  build  a street  railway,  but  as  vet  transportation  is  by 
coach. 

CABLE  SERVICE  AND  TRANSPORTATION  FACILITIES. 

The  cable  service  has  been  much  improved  within  the  past  few 
months  because  of  the  Central  and  South  American  Company  having 
completed  its  direct  Panama-New  York  line.  A message  has  been 
transmitted  from  Panama  City  to  New  York  City  in  one-half  minute 
after  receipt  at  the  delivery  window.  The  same  company  has  also  a 
line  via  Galveston;  and  the  West  India  and  Panama  Telegraph  Com- 
pany has  a line  via  Jamaica  and  Habana.  With  the  new  direct 
Panama-New  York  line  in  operation  the  tariff  has  been  lowered  from 
69  cents  to  50  cents  per  word. 


8 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


Transportation  by  rail  on  the  Isthmus  has  been  greatly  improved 
during  the  past  year,  and  both  passenger  and  freight  traffic  is  heavy. 
There  are  three  regular  steamship  companies  which  make  the  Pacific 
side  a division  point,  viz,  the  Pacific  Mail  Company  (American), 
between  Panama  and  San  Francisco;  the  Compania  Sud  Americana 
(Chilean),  between  Panama  and  Valparaiso,  Chile;  and  the  Pacific 
Steam  Navigation  Company  (English),  between  Panama  and  Callao, 
Peru.  Besides  these  many  others  touch  irregularly.  On  the  Atlantic 
side  five  steamship  companies  arrive  regularly  at  Cristobal  and  Colon: 
The  Panama  Railroad  Steamship  Line  (American),  weekly  service 
between  Cristobal  and  New  York;  the  Hamburg-American  Line 
(German),  and  the  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet 'Company  (English), 
each  a biweekly  service  between  Colon  and  New  Y ork,  via  Jamaica  and 
other  points;  the  United  Fruit  Company  Line,  weekly  service  be- 
tween Colon  and  New  Orleans,  via  Costa  Rica;  the  Leyland  and 
Harrison  Line,  trimonthly  service  from  Colon  to  New  Orleans,  via 
Jamaica.  There  are  also  French,  Spanish,  and  various  other  lines 
which  make  irregular  visits  at  the  port  of  Colon. 

The  total  number  of  passengers  carried  by  the  Panama  Railroad 
during  the  past  four  years  was  as  follows:  113,790  in  1904,  217,930  in 
1905,  44S,230  in  1906,  and  882,277  in  1907.  The  number  of  tons 
of  freight  handled  in  each  year  was  414,649  in  1904,  482,262  in 
1905,  665,711  in  1906,  and  936.346  in  1907. 

SANITARY  CONDITIONS — WILD  AND  CULTIVATED  PRODUCTS — MINING. 

Health  conditions  here  are  as  nearly  perfect  as  could  be.  The 
total  death  rate  of  Americans  on  the  Canal  Zone  and  in  Panama 
during  1907  was  9.76  per  1,000,  while  the  death  rate  from  diseases 
was  but  6.74  per  1,000,  about  the  same  as  would  occur  among  a 
similar  body  of  people  in  Washington  or  any  other  part  of  the  United 
States.  The  hospital  service  in  the  Canal  Zone  and  Panama  is 
among  the  finest  in  existence. 

Panama  contains  an  area  of  about  21,000,000  acres  and  has  less 
than  100,000  acres  under  cultivation.  Any  fruit  or  vegetable  or 
product  will  grow  here  that  can  be  grown  elsewhere  with  the  same 
climatic  conditions.  Truck  gardens,  cared  for  almost  altogether  by 
Chinese,  furnish  the  great  part  of  supplies  for  the  Panamanians  and 
the  canal  employees. 

Coffee  is  grown  to  some  extent  in  Panama  and  could  be  cultivated 
to  good  advantage;  cocoanuts  prove  a valuable  product,  the  ship- 
ments in  1907  amounting  to  about  875,000;  cotton  is  grown  in  a 
small  ay  ay  and  is  found  wild  in  some  sections;  oranges,  lemons,  and 
limes  are  produced  in  great  quantities  and  need  but  little  care,  and 
in  many  sections  they  grow  wild.  Bananas  are  extensively  grown, 
and  the  yield  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  world.  Rubber  is  found 
growing  wild  on  land  along  the  coast  to  about  2,000  feet  above  sea 
level.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  about  1,000,000  rubber  trees 
in  Panama,  and  the  rubber  exports  during  the  past  three  years  aver- 
aged about  200,000  pounds,  valued  at  $120,000. 

Cattle  raising  has  proved  to  be  a very  profitable  business,  especially 
in  the  districts  bordering  on  Costa  Rica,  where  there  is  plenty  of  Avat el- 
and fine  grazing,  but  the  small  farmer  can  not  realize  fully  the  benefits 
for  the  reason  that  he  can  not  bring  his  cattle  to  market  on  foot,  there 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


9 


being  no  trails  across  the  country,  and  he  can  sell  only  to  those  who 
are  able  to  ship  by  vessels;  and  this  business  is  virtually  controlled, 
under  a concession,  by  a few  men. 

Chickens  are  not  raised  in  any  great  numbers,  and  are  sold  at  much 
higher  prices  than  in  the  United  States.  Eggs  yield  an  unusually 
large  return  in  Panama,  selling  the  year  round  from  60  to  80  cents 
United  States  currency  per  dozen,  and  at  these  prices  the  local  market 
is  not  in  any  degree  well  supplied. 

Mining  is  not  carried  on  to  any  great  extent  in  the  Republic,  although 
the  foothills  bear  strong  traces  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  and  man- 
ganese, and  many  of  the  streams  make  placer  mining  profitable. 
Only  one  gold-mining  property  has  been  developed  to  any  extent 
in  the  Republic. 

IMPORT  DUTIES  AND  CURRENCY — LANDS  OPENED  TO  THE  PUBLIC. 

On  merchandise  imported  into  Panama  there  is  an  ad  valorem  duty 
of  10  per  cent  charged,  the  exceptions  being  as  follows:  Coffee,  per 
100  pounds,  $4  gold;  matches,  per  2.2  pounds,  15  cents;  salt,  per  100 
pounds,  $1;  champagne,  per  liter  (liter  = 1.0567  quarts),  $1;  spark- 
ling wines,  per  liter,  50  cents;  sherry,  port,  and  Malaga  wines,  per 
liter,  10  cents;  white  wines  and  claret,  per  liter,  5 cents;  vermuth, 
per  liter,  10  cents;  rum,  brandy,  gin,  and  whisky,  per  liter,  75  cents; 
alcohol,  42  grades,  per  liter,  50  cents;  and  when  more  than  42  grades, 
75  cents;  liqueurs,  all  kinds,  per  liter,  $1;  bitters,  per  liter,  30  cents; 
beer  and  ale  of  ail  kinds,  per  liter,  10  cents;  and  mineral  waters  and 
medicinal  wines,  25  per  cent  ad  valorem. 

Articles  on  the  free  list  are:  Machines  for  making  roads,  cars,  mate- 
rial for  railroads,  telegraph  machinery,  boilers,  iron  bridges,  machines 
weighing  not  more  than  2,204  pounds,  coal,  minerals,  plants,  seeds, 
shoots,  sprigs  of  vine,  guano,  ice,  animals  for  breeding  purposes,  boats 
for  use  in  the  waters  of  the  Republic  and  material  for  their  construc- 
tion, books  sent  through  the  mails,  and  printing,  bookbinding,  and 
lithographing  materials. 

The  currency  of  the  Republic  is  based  upon  the  balboa,  a gold  dollar 
of  the  value  of  100  cents  of  United  States  currency.  The  balboa, 
however,  has  never  been  coined.  There  is  in  use  here  the  silver  peso, 
half  peso,  20  centavos,  10  centavos,  5 centavos,  and  1 centavo.  These 
have  a value  in  United  States  currency  of  50,  25,  10,  5,  2\,  and  \ 
cents,  respectively. 

Under  the  laws  of  the  Republic  a foreigner  can  not  enter  who  has 
not  the  sum  of  $15  in  his  pockets,  nor  can  one  enter  if  afflicted  with  a 
loathsome  and  infectious  disease. 

Inasmuch  as  the  President  of  the  Republic  called  the  National 
Assembly  to  meet  in  special  session  in  June,  1907,  for  the  purpose  of 
passing  laws  as  to  ownership  in  and  sale  and  transfer  of  lands,  there 
is  now  open  to  the  general  public  hundreds  of  thousands  of  acres  of 
rich  grazing  and  tillable  land  which  can  be  bought  from  the  Panama 
Government  at  25  cents  United  States  currency  per  hectare,  about 
12  cents  per  acre,  and  I am  receiving  many  letters  from  Americans 
who  are  interested.  I believe  there  is  a great  future  for  Panama  in  a 
stock  raising  and  in  an  agricultural  way. 


10 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


COMMERCE  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

The  total  importations  into  Panama  during  1907,  according  to  pub- 
lished reports,  amounted  to  $17,204,984  gold,  of  which  $7,640,534 
went  to  the  Canal  Zone,  leaving  $9,564,450  as  the  actual  imports 
into  the  Republic.  The  imports,  by  countries,  are  shown  in  the 
following  statement: 


Countries. 

Value. 

Countries. 

Value. 

United  States 

$5, 196,964 

Cuba,  etc 

$88,  435 

2,028, 112 

00. 101 

1 , 001 859 

30, 536 

334. 900 

30, 101 

191,908 

4,  450 

Italy 

189,712 

Other  countries 

8j  537 

149,705 

97,214 

Total 

9, 564,  450 

Salvador.". 

91,850 

The  secretary  of  the  treasury  of  Panama  informs  me,  however, 
that  from  delayed  reports  he  linds  that  the  imports  into  the  Canal 
Zone  are  much  greater  than  the  amount  given  above.  He  says  that 
the  total  amount  will  reach  $13,468,358,  an  excess  of  $5,827,824 
over  the  original  figures,  which  would  make  the  real  total  of  imports 
$23,032,808  instead  of  $17,204,984. 

Panama  has  a rich  soil  and  a fine  climate,  and  wheat,  sugar,  rice, 
potatoes,  onions,  and  other  vegetables  can  easily  be  grown,  but 
nevertheless  during  1907  there  were  imported  36,000  sacks  of  flour, 
30,000  quintals  of  sugar,  40,000  quintals  of  rice,  10,000  quintals  of 
potatoes,  and  100,000  pounds  of  onions.  (Quintal  in  the  metric  sys- 
tem equals  220  pounds  avoirdupois.) 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  EXPORTS  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


The  total  exports  from  the  Republic  of  Panama  in  1907  amounted 
to  $1,960,665,  against  $1,064,201  in  1906.  The  exports  from  the 
Panama  consular  district  to  the  United  States  in  1907  were  valued 
at  $362,005,  against  $362,720  and  $481,289,  respectively,  in  1906  and 
1905.  The  principal  articles  were: 


Cocobolo 

Coffee 

Copper,  old 

Hides 

Mahogany 

Mother-of-pearl  shells. 

Nuts,  ivory 

Rubber 

Sarsaparilla 

Skins 

Specie 

Tuna  gum 

AH  other  articles 


Articles. 


1905. 

1900. 

1907. 

$40.  240 

$49,107 

$82, 741 

3,220 

922 

3.431 

1 , 590 

708 

3,480 

87,815 

88, 315 

76, 029 

58, 333 

0,541 

15.483 

7,203 

2,850 

4,901 

41,840 

23,934 

32, 029 

187,375 

109, 880 

103, 697 

1 , 082 

1,720 

322 

32, 712 

18,758 

20. 907 

2,024 

677 

5,856 

2,829 

3,573 

8,005 

19,120 

14,135 

4S1,289 

320, 720 

362, 005 

Total 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


11 


COLON. 

By  Consul  James  C.  Kellogg. 

The  value  of  the  imports  into  Colon  during  the  year  1907  amounted 
to  $2,039,352,  a decrease  of  $735,083  compared  with  the  previous 
year.  Of  the  total  imports  the  principal  amounts  by  countries  and 
the  decreases  were  as  follows: 


Countries. 

Value. 

Decrease. 

Countries. 

Value. 

Decrease. 

§1,275,333 

8662,050 
33,330 
15, 863 
13, 634 
8,624 

822,248 
60, 306 

$1,044 

538 

United  Kingdom 

Germany 

France.’. 

Spain 

349, 049 
208, 784 
93, 798 
29,834 

Other  countries 

Total 

2,039,352 

735, 083 

The  imports  by  principal  articles  from  the  four  leading  countries 
were  as  follows: 


Articles. 

United 

States. 

United 

Kingdom. 

Germany. 

France. 

Dry  goods,  boots  and  shces,  etc 

Drugs,  etc 

8482, 078 
26. 4S7 
54, 527 
49, 847 
198, 794 
421 , 348 
42,252 

$180, 375 
7.850 
19,890 

891,467 
5,750 
17, 856 

$40,816 

2,718 

Liquors 

37, 870 
44, 695 
58, 399 

27, 880 
46, 183 
19, 648 

28, 120 
11,470 
10, 674 

Total 

1,275,333 

349, 049 

208, 784 

93, 798 

' EXPORTS  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  value  of  exports  to  the  United  States  during  1907  amounted  to 
$100,792,  a decrease  of  $55,882  compared  with  1906.  The  principal 
articles  of  export  were:  Cocoanuts,  worth  $37,839;  hides,  $6,442; 
ivory  nuts,  $23,958;  rubber,  $6,691;  and  tortoise  shell,  $12,361. 
Returned  American  goods  amounted  to  $30,846,  which  included 
$26,540  worth  of  scrap  iron.  The  estimated  value  of  exports  to 
Great  Britain  was  $204,140,  and  to  Germany  $96,348.  These  exports 
consisted  chiefly  of  tortoise  shell,  hides,  and  rubber. 

The  declared  value  of  exports  from  Colon  to  the  United  States 
during  the  past  three  years  was  as  follows : 


Articles. 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

Bananas 

830, 965 

84,000 

Cocoa 

2,278 

37,839 

4,458 

765 

54, 600 

66, 067 

Coffee 

Cotton 

Hides 

4.755 

7, 812 

6,442 

Articles. 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

826, 080 

§25, 394 
8, 685 

§23.958 
6, 691 

Rubber 

8, 185 

Tortoise  shell 

9,240 

13,210 

12,361 

Other  articles 

2,845 

4, 521 

2,000 

Total 

141,485 

156, 654 

100. 792 

STEAMSHIP  SERVICE  DISCONTINUED COAL  RECEIPTS. 

Since  April,  1907,  the  steamers  of  the  Panama  Railroad  Steam- 
ship Company,  which  formerly  entered  at  the  port  of  Colon,  ceased 
calling  here  and  now  enter  at  Cristobal,  Canal  Zone,  the  American 


12 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


port  adjoining  Colon.  Lumber  and  other  cargoes  for  the  city  of 
Panama,  which  formerly  were  discharged  at  Colon,  are  now  landed 
at  Cristobal  and  taken  across  to  Panama,  thereby  reducing  the  value 
of  imports  at  this  port.  Goods  destined  for  Colon  and  landed  at 
Cristobal  are  brought  here  in  cars  and  continue  to  be  examined  at 
the  Colon  custom-house  in  the  same  manner  as  when  the  vessels 
entered  at  this  port. 

The  amount  of  coal  brought  to  the  ports  of  Colon  and  Cristobal 
for  the  use  of  the  Isthmian  Canal  Commission  and  Panama  Railroad 
Company  consisted  of  203,451  tons  from  the  United  States,  an 
increase  of  about  100,000  tons  over  the  previous  year.  The  entire 
amount  of  coal  imported,  although  coming  from  the  United  States, 
was  brought  in  Norwegian  and  British  steamers;  also  all  other  mate- 
rial with  exception  of  that  which  came  by  the  Panama  Railroad 
steamers,  an  insignificant  amount  when  compared  with  that  brought 
by  Norwegian  and  British  cargo  steamers.  The  consumption  of 
coal  on  the  Isthmus  averaged  30,000  tons  per  month,  or  1,000  tons 
daily,  and  of  this  amount  about  5,000  tons  were  used  by  the  Panama 
Railroad  Company  and  12,000  by  the  transportation  department  of 
the  Isthmian  Canal  Commission. 

The  freight  paid  on  coal  was  $1.50  gold  per  ton,  which  on  the  203,451 
tons  brought  to  the  Isthmus  during  the  year  amounted  to  $305,176 
gold,  which  was  paid  to  foreign  vessels  by  the  Isthmian  Canal  Com- 
mission and  the  Panama  Railroad  Company  on  coal  freights  alone. 
There  were  364,748  tons  of  other  cargoes,  principally  machinery, 
lumber,  ties,  etc.,  brought  for  the  Panama  Railroad  Company  and 
the  Isthmian  Canal  Commission  during  1907,  as  against  238,136  tons 
in  1906,  an  increase  of  106,612  tons  over  the  previous  year.  The 
freight  charges  on  these  cargoes,  a large  portion  of  which  was  trans- 
ported in  foreign  bottoms,  amounted  to  a very  large  sum. 

INCREASED  FREIGHT  TRAFFIC NAVIGATION  STATISTICS. 

Freight  traffic  from  New  York  and  New  Orleans  to  the  South 
Pacific  ports  via  Panama  for  the  year  increased  6,734  tons,  to  Cen- 
tral America  and  Mexico  5,170  tons,  and  to  Panama  5,957  tons. 
From  Central  America  and  Mexico  to  Europe  there  was  a decrease  of 
171  tons,  and  from  South  Pacific  ports  to  Europe  an  increase  of  11,050 
tons.  The  total  tonnage  from  Colon  to  Pacific  ports  amounted  to 
640,132  as  against  409,890  for  the  previous  year,  an  increase  of 
230,242  tons.  That  from  the  Pacific  ports  to  Colon  was  296,214,  as 
compared  with  255,821  during  1906,  an  increase  of  40,393  tons  over 
the  preceding  year. 

The  freight  traffic  of  the  Panama  Railroad  Steamship  Line  showed 
an  increase  of  16,578  tons,  and  the  number  of  passengers  carried 
increased  2,908  over  1906.  Tonnage  from  Europe  to  Central  America 
and  Mexico  increased  3,262  and  to  the  South  Pacific  ports  12,679. 
The  through  traffic  was  41  per  cent  of  the  total  tonnage  handled,  as 
against  51  per  cent  during  1906.  The  total  earnings  of  the  railroad 
for  transportation  showed  an  increase  of  $1,068,072  over  the  previous 
year.  The  earnings  of  the  steamship  line  were  $1,560,910,  an  increase 
of  $213,898  over  1906. 

The  number  of  steamers  entering  this  port  during  1907  were  21 
American  of  51,834  tons;  214  British  of  474,149  tons;  112  German 
of  261,545  tons;  118  Norwegian  of  197,049  tons;  24  French  of  89,434 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


13 


tons;  12  Spanish  of  60,868  tons;  12  Italian  of  39,076  tons;  and  15 
Cuban  of  12,840  tons.  Of  sailing  vessels,  5 American  of  1,422  tons, 
and  13  British  of  6,081  tons,  also  1 German  of  416  tons,  exclusive  of 
small  coasting  vessels,  entered  this  port.  The  marked  decrease  in 
American  shipping  during  1907  was  due  partly  to  the  steamers  of  the 
Panama  Railroad  Company  having  ceased  to  call  at  this  port,  but 
berthed  instead  at  the  adjacent  port  of  Cristobal,  Canal  Zone,  where 
there  entered  46  American  steamers  of  131,983  tons,  and  5 sailing 
vessels  of  1,932  tons.  Vessels  of  other  nationalities  bringing  cargoes 
for  the  Isthmian  Canal  Commission  or  Panama  Railroad  Company, 
although  berthed  at  Cristobal,  entered  at  their  respective  consulates 
in  Colon.  The  total  number  of  ocean  vessels  arriving  at  the  ports 
of  Colon  and  Cristobal  during  the  year  with  coal  was  44;  other  freight, 
836;  a total  of  880,  with  a tonnage  of  700,623. 

MUNICIPAL  AND  OTHER  IMPROVEMENTS. 

During  1907  there  was  much  accomplished  in  the  way  of  improve- 
ments in  Colon,  among  which  was  the  completion  of  the  Mount  Hope 
reservoir,  which  has  a capacity  of  465,000,000  gallons  and  supplies 
the  city  of  Colon,  which  consumes  about  460,000  gallons  a day.  A 
sewerage  system  has  been  completed  and  nearly  all  houses  are  now 
supplied  with  water;  the  paving  of  the  sidewalks  is  nearly  completed 
and  much  was  done  to  improve  the  streets.  Dirt  and  crushed  stone 
is  being  placed  on  the  beach,  from  the  quarantine  station  to  the  light- 
house, for  the  purpose  of  preventing  damage  caused  by  the  surf 
during  the  winter  season.  This  has  also  widened  the  street,  which 
had  become  narrow  for  coaches  by  the  continued  breaking  of  the  surf 
on  the  beach.  During  the  year  there  was  much  activity  in  the  con- 
struction of  streets  and  in  the  renovation  of  private  and  public  build- 
ings; the  most  noteworthy  new  buildings  are  a hotel  and  the  Panama- 
nian Government  building,  constructed  of  brick  and  cement.  This 
latter  building  is  an  up-to-date  structure,  and  one  of  the  most  elegant 
public  buildings  in  the  Republic.  Front  street,  the  principal  business 
thoroughfare  of  the  city,  in  which  are  located  the  principal  importing 
houses  of  Colon,  has  been  paved  the  entire  length. 

The  new  building  occupied  by  the  general  offices  of  the  Panama 
Railroad  Company  is  pleasantly  located  in  a large  square  fronting  the 
sea. 

LOCAL  BUSINESS  DEPRESSION — ADVICE  TO  AMERICAN  SALESMEN. 

Trade  has  been  very  much  depressed  in  Colon.  Many  business 
houses  are  overstocked  in  dry  goods,  boots  and  shoes,  clothing,  provi- 
sions, and  other  lines  of  goods.  At  the  close  of  the  year  the  merchants 
were  in  hopes  that  conditions  would  improve,  but  there  was  a decrease 
in  imports  from  the  United  States,  amounting  to  $662,050,  as  com- 
pared with  the  previous  year,  and  the  present  condition  of  affairs  does 
not  tend  to  encourage  local  importers  to  show  preference  for  American 
firms  in  placing  orders  for  goods. 

During  the  year  just  ended  much  activity  has  been  displayed  by  for- 
eign salesmen,  notably  German  and  English,  in  the  advertising  of  their 
different  lines  of  goods.  American  salesmen  have  yet  to  learn,  among 
other  things,  that  the  Spanish- American  buyer  will  not  be  hurried  nor 
intimidated  into  purchasing  goods.  They  should  be  approached  in  a 
quiet,  tactful  way,  and  special  consideration  should  be  shown  them. 


14 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA. 


It  often  happens  that  an  American  salesman  will  call  on  a merchant 
and  begin  his  interview  by  saying  that  he  is  in  a great  hurry  and  wishes 
to  catch  the  train  for  Panama,  and  requesting  that  the  merchant 
examine  his  samples  and  place  his  orders  for  goods  at  once.  It  goes 
without  saying  that  such  a method  of  doing  business  must  be  discon- 
tinued if  American  salesmen  are  to  compete  successfully  with  their 
foreign  rivals.  Another  item  which  should  be  carefully  considered  by 
American  salesmen  coming  to  this  country  is  their  personal  appear- 
ance. They  should  be  dressed  neatly  and  by  their  manners  awaken 
respect  and  confidence  in  their  would-be  purchasers. 

BOCAS  DEL  TORO  AGENCY. 

By  Consular  Agent  Louis  F.  Ryan. 

The  cultivation  and  exportation  of  bananas  to  the  United  States 
constitutes  the  principal  industry  of  this  district.  During  the  year 
1907  there  were  3,163,050  bunches  exported,  having  a value  of 
$790,738  United  States  currency.  All  this  fruit  was  carried  in  for- 
eign bottoms  to  the  ports  of  New  Orleans  and  Mobile.  In  1906  the 
export  was  3,312,000  bunches.  There  was  a decline  in  1907,  as  old 
lands  were  abandoned  and  a severe  windstorm  destroyed  a great  many 
banana  trees.  For  the  year  1908  if  is  believed  that  upward  of 
4,000,000  bunches  of  bananas  will  be  exported,  and  shipments  made 
to  European  markets.  Exports  of  other  products  to  the  United 
States  were  hides,  rubber,  cocoanuts,  limes,  native  curios,  quaqua 
bark,  and  mahogany  wood,  having  a total  value  of  $3,614  United 
States  currency.  These  articles  were  carried  to  New  York  by  German 
steamers. 

EXPORTS  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


The  exports  declared  from  Bocas  del  Toro  to  the  United  States 
during  the  past  three  years  were  as  follows: 


Articles. 

1905. 

1900. 

1907. 

8828,125 

854 

$700,728 

903 

789 

Hides 

816 

30 

120 

Rubber 

220 

99 

1,716 

100 

136 

'168 

Total  

097,707 

829,244 

23,340 

794,451 

ie;587 

33; 757 

Grand  total 

714,294 

852,584 

828,208 

The  exports  to  European  markets,  on  account  of  the  better  price 
realized,  consisted  of  rubber,  sarsaparilla,  turtle  shell,  hides,  turtle 
meat,  and  chocolate,  with  an  aggregate  value  of  $32,275. 

PURCHASES  PROM  THE  UNITED  STATES  AND  EUROPE. 

The  imports  from  the  United  States  during  1907  were  valued  at 
$873,189,  and  consisted  of  the  following  principal  articles:  Lumber, 
furniture,  railway  material,  including  cars  and  locomotives,  machinery 
of  all  sorts,  hardware,  tools,  tinware,  enameled  ware,  spirits  and  malt 
liquors,  provisions,  flour,  notions,  stationery,  cotton  goods,  clothing, 


COMMERCE  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  PANAMA.  15 

laces,  jewelry,  coal,  soaps,  and  drugs.  Large  quantities  of  codfish 
and  kindred  products  were  imported  in  bond  from  Nova  Scotia,  as 
well  as  large  quantities  of  butter  from  Canada;  the  goods  came  via 
Mobile  and  New  Orleans. 

The  imports  from  Europe  direct  amounted  to  about  $120,000,  and 
consisted  of  merchandise  of  all  descriptions,  including  corrugated  iron, 
beet  sugar,  perfumery,  laces,  cutlery,  enameled  ware,  hardware  of 
various  kinds,  preserves,  foodstuffs  in  tins,  cotton  goods,  wines  of  all 
kinds,  cheap  jewelry,  notions,  clocks,  toys,  etc. 

LOCAL  IMPROVEMENTS — RAILROAD  BUILDING. 

Owing  to  delays  in  the  arrival  of  new  machinery  from  the  United 
States,  repairs  to  old  machinery,  etc.,  the  work  of  filling  in  the  town 
has  not  progressed  as  rapidly  as  was  expected.  The  filling  material 
is  obtained  by  pumping  sand  and  coral  from  the  bottom  of  the  bay. 
The  sewer  system  has  not  yet  been  put  into  use  on  account  of  this 
delay.  The  construction  of  the  concrete  and  steel  wharf  at  Almirante, 
near  the  town  of  Bocas  del  Toro,  is  going  on  rapidly  and  will  probably 
be  finished  early  in  1908.  This  wharf  will  be  the  terminus  of  the 
railway  lines  of  the  Sixaola  and  Changuinola  districts.  Banana 
steamers  will  be  loaded  at  the  wharf  instead  of  the  entrance  to  the 
Changuinola  Canal,  in  the  open  bay.  The  wharf  will  be  large  enough 
to  accommodate  three  large  ships  at  one  time,  having  three  berths. 
There  is,  sufficient  deep  water  at  the  wharf  site  for  extremely  large 
ships. 

The  construction  of  the  railway  from  Almirante  to  Changuinola  is 
nearing  completion.  It  will  connect  with  the  railways  in  the  various 
banana  plantations  of  Changuinola,  and  will  be  about  13  miles  in 
length.  Work  on  the  new  railway  lines  in  the  Sixaola  district,  the 
new  banana  country,  is  being  pushed  with  speed.  When  this  line  is 
finished  it  will  tap  the  rich  agricultural  land  of' the  Sixaola  country, 
and  in  conjunction  with  the  Changuinola  banana  farms  will  be  the 
largest  banana  area  in  the  world. 


NEW  FIBER  DISCOVERY — MARINE  STATISTICS. 

Growing  in  this  district  and  but  recently  discovered  are  the  qua- 
qua  and  mahogua  trees.  Samples  of  the  wood  and  bark  of  these  trees 
have  been  forwarded  for  examination  to  the  United  States,  and  have 
been  found  to  be  very  desirable  for  manufacturing  into  pulp  for  mak- 
ing a fine  quality  of  paper.  There  are  a great  many  of  these  trees  in 
this  district  and  large  quantities  of  the  fiber  could  be  obtained  here. 
A piece  of  the  fiber  immediately  beneath  the  bark  is  stripped  off  and 
laid  flat  on  the  ground  and  beaten  with  a round  stick  until  it  becomes 
soft  and  pliable,  and  can  be  formed  into  any  shape.  Small  sections 
of  this  fiber  have  been  used  as  door  mats. 

The  number  of  vessels  that  entered  from  and  cleared  for  the  United 
States  during  1907  were  165  Norwegian,  47  British,  and  7 German. 
There  were  no  American  vessels  at  this  port  during  the  year.  Eleven 
steamers  entered  the  port  from  Germany,  exclusive  of  those  men- 
tioned above,  with  general  merchandise. 


O 


